RECIPE
Dish up a classic comfort food this St . Patrick ’ s Day
from Metro Creative Connection
Everyone has “ corned beef and cabbage ” on the brain come St . Patrick ’ s Day . But another flavorful dish might appeal to a greater number of people with Irish roots .
Shepherd ’ s Pie is a savory dish made of minced lamb that originated in England but also made the jump to Ireland , where it became a popular comfort food . While Shepherd ’ s Pie can be made with freshly cooked ground meat , it also is a fine way to use leftovers from a previous meal . Shepherd ’ s Pie is commonly mistaken for Cottage Pie , which is very similar , yet tends to use beef as the meat of choice .
Many families have their own ancestral recipes for Shepherd ’ s Pie , but for those looking to cook the dish for the first time , try “ Shepherd ’ s Pie ,” courtesy of Alton Brown , which appeared in Season 12 of his hit show “ Good Eats .”
Shepherd ’ s Pie
Serves 8
1½ pounds russet potatoes 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 cup chopped onion 2 carrots , peeled and finely diced 2 cloves garlic , minced 1½ pounds ground lamb 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt 3 / 4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 / 4 cup half-and-half 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large egg yolk 1 / 2 cup corn kernels , fresh or frozen 1 / 2 cup English peas , fresh or frozen
1 . 1 . Heat oven to 400 F .
2 . Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 / 2-inch dice . Put them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water . Set said pan over high heat , cover and bring to a boil . Uncover , drop the heat to maintain a simmer , and cook until tender , 10 to 15 minutes .
3 . Heat the oil in an 11-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering . Add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color , 3 to 4 minutes . Add the garlic and stir to combine . Add the meat , salt and pepper , and cook until browned and cooked through , approximately 3 minutes .
4 . Sprinkle the meat with the flour , toss to coat , and continue to cook for another minute . Add the tomato paste , broth , Worcestershire sauce , rosemary , and thyme and stir to combine . Bring to a boil , then decrease the heat to low , cover , and simmer slowly until the sauce is thickened slightly , 10 to 12 minutes .
5 . Meanwhile , combine the halfand-half and butter in a microwave-safe container and nuke until warmed through , about 35 seconds .
6 . Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan . Mash the potatoes ( a masher is an excellent tool for this , though a hand mixer will do ), then add the hot half-andhalf mixture , as well as the salt and pepper . Mash to smoothness , then stir in the egg yolk .
7 . Add the corn and peas to the meat mixture and spread evenly in a 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish . Top with the mashed potatoes , starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling over , and smooth the top with a rubber spatula . Place on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes , or just until the potatoes begin to brown . Remove to a cooking rack and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving . n
76 February | March 2022 Thomasville Scene